"It is the most exciting time for firms making in-flight entertainment solutions," a Thales spokesman told the BBC.

"The demand for airplanes is growing and our industry will grow in tandem."

The firm - which also makes other aerospace products - generated overall revenues of $14.2bn (£8.6bn) in 2012, with in-flight entertainment systems being a key contributor.

According to Thales, the in-flight entertainment system is the second most costly component of a plane after the engine.

Firms are also vying to improve the quality of the systems.

"We are getting closer to offering a similar experience to what passengers would get in their living rooms," Thales said.

'The next level'

The race to attract customers is likely to heat up further as airlines look to offer wireless internet connectivity across the board.

Passengers can experience internet connections similar to what they would in a downtown Starbucks or McDonald'sCarl Esposito, Honeywell Aerospace

Many carriers do offer this service currently, but the take-up rate among customers has not been that high. In some cases it is too costly for passengers to sign up, while sometimes the connectivity has not been that great.

But with a recent surge in the number of people using devices such as smartphones and tablets, it is a service that airlines cannot afford to ignore.

"Free on-board internet connectivity in all classes of travel is the next level of in-flight entertainment," says Mr Nigam of Simpliflying.

"Airlines can't play the wait-and-watch game on this front anymore."

Mr Nigam explains that on-board connectivity will provide carriers with an opportunity to offer more value-added services and even open up new revenue streams.

"An airline can profile its customers very well and that data is invaluable to companies looking to target a particular segment of clientele," he says.

"You can sell advertising space depending on the routes you are flying, the class of travel and even partner with hotel firms to offer deals on-board."

Image caption
Honeywell's solutions for on-board internet connectivity are on show in Singapore

Companies specialising in the field are sensing an opportunity.

Honeywell Aerospace is displaying its latest technology at the Singapore Airshow which, it claims, will make in-flight connectivity 30 to 40 times faster than current levels, and also bring down costs.

"Passengers can experience internet connections similar to what they would in a downtown Starbucks or McDonald's," says Carl Esposito from Honeywell.

The firm says it is already in talks with various airlines to install the technology and has forecast revenues of nearly $2.8bn over the next 20 years for the product.